Classification
Classification is the central nervous system of the Paralympic Movement, providing a framework for Para sport competition.
OTHER CLASSIFICATION PAGES
WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION?
Challenging the interests of Para sport is the threat of one-sided and predictable competition, in which the least impaired athlete always wins. Classification is the cornerstone of the Paralympic Movement, it determines which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped together for competition. In Para sports, athletes are grouped by the degree of activity limitation resulting from the impairment.
This, to a certain extent, is similar to grouping athletes by age, gender or weight. Different sports require athletes to perform different activities, such as: sprinting, propelling a wheelchair, rowing and shooting. As sports require different activities, the impact of the impairment on each sport also differs. Therefore, for classification to minimise the impact of impairment on sport performance, classification must be sport specific. Classification aims to minimise the impact of the impairment on athletes’ performance so that the sporting excellence determines which athlete or team is ultimately victorious. Ensuring that athletes are classified prior to competing is crucial to safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the competition.
It is important to underline that the competitive structure provided by classification systems is not only key for elite sport but also necessary for promoting grassroots participation in Para sports for people with an impairment.
ELIGIBLE IMPAIRMENTS
Any athlete wishing to participate in Para sport competition must have an Underlying Health Condition that leads to a permanent Eligible Impairment.
The Paralympic Movement offers sporting opportunities for athletes with an impairment belonging to one of ten Eligible Impairment types.
IMPAIRED MUSCLE POWER
IMPAIRED PASSIVE RANGE OF MOVEMENT
LIMB DEFICIENCY
SHORT STATURE
COORDINATION IMPAIRMENTS
VISION IMPAIRMENT
INTELLECTUAL IMPAIRMENT
The 10 Eligible Impairments are often referred to as three distinct groups: a) physical impairments, comprising the eight impairments that cause activity limitations that are biomechanical in nature – impaired muscle power, impaired range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, and short stature; b) vision impairment and c) intellectual impairment.
Each Paralympic sport defines which Eligible Impairment types they provide sporting opportunities for in their classification rules.
While some sports provide competition opportunities for athletes with all ten Eligible Impairments (e.g. Para athletics, Para swimming), other sports are specific to one Eligible Impairment (e.g. goalball is a sport for athletes with vision impairment) or a selection of Eligible Impairments (e.g. equestrian para-dressage, para-cycling).
The assessment of whether or not an athlete has an Eligible Impairment for a sport must be conducted by the International Sport Federation governing that sport. It is important to note that the presence and permanency of one of the sport’s Eligible Impairments is a prerequisite to participate in para sport, but not the sole criterion.
CLASSIFICATION BY SPORT
Classification is sport specific. This is because different Eligible Impairments may have a unique impact on the activities required for each sport. Every International Federation must therefore develop and implement a Classification System that complies with the IPC Classification Code and the International Standards (Article 2.2, 2015 IPC Athlete Classification Code).
Specifically, a Classification System must:
- Clearly state that an Athlete must have an Eligible Impairment in order to compete in the sport. Such Impairments must come from the list of Eligible Impairments presented in the International Standard for Eligible Impairments.
- Set processes and procedures for assessing whether an athlete has an Eligible Impairment. These processes and procedures must conform with the International Standard for Eligible Impairments.
- Set Minimum Impairment Criteria for each Eligible Impairment. Minimum Impairment Criteria must be written in a way that can be objectively assessed and comply with the International Standard for Eligible Impairment and for Athlete Evaluation.
- Require that Athletes be allocated a Sport Class based on the extent to which Athletes are able to execute the specific tasks and activities fundamental to the Para sport or discipline. The process by which Sport Classes are allocated must comply with the International Standard for Athlete Evaluation.
To help direct you to sport specific information, links to each International Federation's Classification webpage can be found in the table below.
SUMMER SPORTS
FAQs
Classification establishes a unique framework that promotes fair and meaningful competition by minimising the impact of athletes’ impairments on the outcome of competition so that the outcome is determined by factors other than impairment. Classification is therefore essential to the Paralympic Movement as Para sport cannot exist without Classification.
Other sports also use classification systems to structure competition. For example, in judo, athletes are put into weight classes. In football, men and women compete separately. And in marathons, there are age categories. By grouping athletes by size, gender, and age, each sport minimises the impact of these factors on the outcome of competition.
To be allocated a Sport Class and Sport Class Status in Para sport, an athlete must:
- Have an Underlying Health Condition that leads to an Eligible Impairment. It is the responsibility of each International Federation to decide which Eligible Impairments they include in their sport. To be considered eligible, an athlete will be requested to provide Diagnostic Information about their health condition as part of the Classification process.
- Meet the Minimum Impairment Criteria (MIC) within the relevant sport related to that Eligible Impairment. MIC set the minimum level of impairment that impact the activities required for the sport. Therefore, MIC are also specific to each Para sport.
If you wish to compete in Para sport, and interested to find out more about eligibility, you can contact your National Paralympic Committee (NPC) or National Federation as a first step. Useful information may also be available from International Federations. For links to each IF’s main classification page, please see Classification by sport.
An Evaluation Session usually takes place in the days preceding an international Competition. However, not all Competitions offer Classification opportunities, and some sports may offer Classification opportunities that are not linked to Competitions.
The first stage of the Classification process must also take place ahead of an Evaluation Session, where Diagnostic Information is submitted to help the International Federation assess the existence of an Underlying Health Condition and Eligible Impairment.
For further information about potential Classification opportunities, links to each International Federation’s main classification page can be found in the Classification by sport section.
Athletes are evaluated by Classifiers, who work in a group called a Classification Panel. Classifiers have the relevant qualifications and competencies, are knowledgeable in their sport, and certified as officials by the International Federation who govern the sport. For examples of typical expertise, please see the question “How does somebody become a Classifier?”.
An Athlete can bring one person whose role is to support them during the Classification process. If required, an Athlete can also have one interpreter attending an Evaluation Session. Both these persons must be a National Representative.
A National Representative means any person who is an office-holder or member of staff of, or who otherwise represents and/or works on behalf of a National Federation.
Classification Panels make objective decisions based on a sport’s Classification rules. If an Athlete disagrees with the outcome of an Evaluation Session, each sport has its own Protest rules in place. These rules outline:
- Who may lodge a Protest
- What can be protested
- The timelines that apply
- Which documents are required, and
- Any fees to be paid
Please note, a Protest can only be lodged by a National Federation or National Paralympic Committee, and not by an individual Athlete.
At the start of every Para athlete’s international career, they will need to be classified at least once. Further evaluations may be required for a number of reasons, for example, Athletes with progressive or fluctuating Underlying Health Conditions. Or, if an International Federation makes changes to their sport’s Classification rules, which, in some cases, may lead to Athletes being classified again.
Once an Athlete has completed an Evaluation Session, they are given a Sport Class and Sport Class Status. The Sport Class is a category for competition defined by each International Federation in their Classification rules, and the Sport Class Status indicates whether and when an Athlete may be required to undergo Classification in the future.
National and international Classification are often governed by different sets of rules and processes. Each International Federation defines the level of Competition where athletes are required to be classified by a Classification Panel ahead of competing.
There may be some international Competitions where athletes can compete with the Sport Class allocated to them at national level, but as they progress through the international Competition pathway, they will need to be classified under the International Federation’s rules and processes.
For information specific to a particular sport, please consult the relevant National and/or International Federation. Links to each International Federation’s main classification page can be found in the Classification by sport section.
Yes. As every Para sport demands its own range of fundamental tasks and activities that are likely to be impacted by an athlete’s impairment differently, eligibility for one sport does not mean an Athlete is eligible for another.
International Classifiers are trained and certified by a sport’s International Federation in one specific impairment group; either Intellectual, Physical or Vision Impairment. This is because Classifiers must have qualifications relevant to the impairments they evaluate. For example, the following occupations are often found amongst the three impairment groups:
- Intellectual Impairment: Psychologists, and experts in the sport and biomechanics.
- Physical Impairment: Medical doctors, physiotherapists, and experts in the sport and biomechanics.
- Vision Impairment: Ophthalmologists and optometrists.
Being involved in the classification of national level athletes is a great way to be introduced to Classification. To find out more about potential national training opportunities, please contact the relevant country’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC).
For details of sport specific international Classifier courses, checking an International Federation’s webpage is recommended. For links to each International Federation’s classification pages, please see Classification by sport.
